Bayonne

Bayonne, New Jersey

History

Bayonne in Hudson County is located on a peninsula surrounded by Newark, Elizabeth and Jersey City. The Bayonne Bridge connects this city to Staten Island. Formerly called Bergen Neck, Bayonne was located south of Bergen – the Dutch colony, which was the predecessor of Jersey City. In 1664, the British defeated the Dutch to claim this area and bring it under their rule. During the American Revolution, American and British forces clashed at Fort Delancey in Bergen Neck. In 1836, the Morris Canal was completed, thus facilitating Bergen Neck to be connected with the rest of Northern New Jersey. By 1846, steamboats connected New York City with the peninsula. In the 1860s, Bayonne got its own railroads. In 1861, inhabitants of Bergen Township residing between the Kill Van Kull and the Morris Canal created the independent township of Bayonne. Though the city adopted the commission form of government in 1915, abolishing its mayor-council form, it returned to the latter in 1962.

Demographics

Bayonne’s community has people predominantly of White, Native American, Black or African American, Asian, Pacific Islander and Hispanics/Latino origin. The city plays home to several one and two family homes, apart from small apartment buildings and offices for small businesses.

Transportation

Getting around Bayonne is made easy by its Chronoplus network of buses, taxis, cars on hire and free shuttles available between streets of the central business and the parks. You can even access free orange Dutch style bikes that are made available at eight strategic locations.

Points of Interest

From its Gothic cathedral and the Basque Museum – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to Château Vieux castle, Les Halls (covered market) and its 13th century cloisters, Bayonne boasts of an outstanding cultural heritage. The city is also famous for its ham across the globe and known historically as the French capital of chocolate. So, whether you are a gastronomist or not, you shouldn’t miss tasting either.

Food

For tasting a variety of delicious French and local cuisine like merlu koskera (traditional soup), Axoa de veau (minced veal), chuleta (meat cutlet), piperade (a traditional Basque-inspired scrambled eggs flavored with pepper), omelets à la morue (omelets with cod and Espelette pepper), you can head to the restaurants dotting the city streets. The local Bodegas are a good place if you want tasty tapas. You may even head straight to one of the cider houses (Basque cidreries) for dinner where you can pour your glass of cider directly from the vat.

With so much to do and see, you should pack your bags right away and head to Bayonne.